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TheInclusion Development

Programme

Dyslexia

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The materials

Alex Murray, SENCo, Crestwood CollegeLinda Campbell, Asst. HT/SENCo, Eggars SchoolJason Illingworth, SENCo, Cowplain Community SchoolGillian Green, Literacy Co-ordinator, Lakeside SchoolPauline Bentote, SEN Consultant

It is anticipated that it would require a full day to deliver the entire training and that each of the 3 sections would take approximately 1-2 hours.

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Part 1:Introduction

User guide for navigation and implementation.

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Programme Background

The Inclusion Development Programme (IDP) is part of the Government’s strategy to enable schools to become increasingly inclusive and to help teachers deliver ‘Quality First Teaching’ to all pupils.

The IDP will ‘support schools and settings in meeting the needs of individual students.’

In 2008, the IDP launched with two foci: Dyslexia and SLCN. In 2009, Autistic Spectrum was added.

Schools have been sent a DVD and can also access the IDP through the website (click link).

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Navigating the DVD / website

The IDP (dyslexia) is organised into three sections:a) Backgroundb) Barriersc) Overcoming Barriers

Each of these sections has 5 subsections:a) Prior learningb) Informationc) CPDd) Activitiese) Resources

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NavigatingUse the tabs at the top of each page to get to the start of each subsection.

Use the blue arrows to move forwards and backwards within each subsection.

Use the hypertext links to access resources.

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If you get lost…

… visit the home page and navigate to Page 2 using the blue arrow to bring you to this index of topics.

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The IDP is useful when identifying groups of students who are underperforming.

The following slide may also help staff to identify gaps in their own confidence, knowledge and skills in the achievement of students with dyslexia.

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This form is available in the IDP for teachers to determine their current level of expertise at teaching students with dyslexia.

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Using the IDP as part ofthe School Improvement Cycle

To maximise impact, school leaders need to use the IDP effectively by:– linking the use of this material with whole-school

improvement priorities – using the CPD and other resources as part of a whole-

school approach – implementing arrangements for the monitoring and

evaluation of impact on learning – drawing up an IDP action plan for the first year

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Suggestions….• An Inset day to ‘launch’ aspects of the IDP• Whole staff presentation then staff using the IDP

individually to develop inclusion skills• Linking completion of this to performance management

(teachers/TAs/other staff)• Follow up sessions to re-visit aspects previously covered• Monitoring impact through lesson observations along

with other evidence

ACTIVITYUse a planning sheet to start thinking about how your school can use the IDP to maximise impact.

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INFORMATION SectionThe INFORMATION section focuses on the question: ‘What

are specific learning difficulties?’The ‘crystal’ model of specific learning difficulties is

explained via a link to the interactive video.

click on crystal (and wait)… …or go to Background/What are SpLD/Information/page 2.

crystal

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The three SpLDs (Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and Dyscalculia) are

explained as combinations of difficulties. You can click on

each difficulty for an explanation.

To summarise, the crystal represents the range of

strengths (the facets on the underside of the crystal) and the range of difficulties (the

facets on top of the crystal) in people with SpLD.

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Try answering these questions to activate your prior knowledge:

Which specific learning difficulty is normally associated with:1. Perseveration, distorted perception and poor comprehension?

dyslexiadyspraxiaautistic spectrumADHD

Dyslexia

2. Distractibility, poor comprehension and impulsivity?dyslexiadyspraxiaautistic spectrumADHD

ADHD3. Poor sense of time, poor phonological awareness and low self-esteem?

dyslexiadyspraxiaautistic spectrumADHD

Dyslexia

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CPD, ACTIVITIES & RESOURCES

CPD

The online resources (particularly the interactive video) could be used as an introduction to SpLD for staff, parents and even students, or to stimulate discussion on the best ways to plan to include those with SpLD.

ACTIVITIES & RESOURCESActivities/resources include ‘Activating Prior Learning’ (see earlier slide) and weblink: ‘Understanding dyslexia – specific learning difficulties.’

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BACKGROUND QUESTIONNAIRE

Hampshire have produced a useful questionnaire to complete prior to accessing the IDP.

It is suggested that you complete this now and then complete it again in about 3 months time to see if the IDP has positively impacted on your classroom practice.

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PLENARYWHAT NEXT for the Inclusion Development Programme ?

• You could use the IDP departmental-based worksheets to reflect on how your department can improve accessibility for children with dyslexia (SpLD).

• A ‘sorting’ activity looking at matching up dyslexia related factors, the effect, strategies and support would stimulate discussion about this.

• Don’t forget to re-do the questionnaire in a few months time to look at the impact of using the IDP.

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Part 2:Barriers to Learning

What is dyslexia?

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This presentation should help you to have more confidence in recognising dyslexia in your classroom and understand what barriers to learning a dyslexic pupil will routinely experience.

.......Let’s start at the very beginning.

What is dyslexia?

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Dyslexia.

The word is Greek in origin and means difficulty with words

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How do we identify a dyslexic student?

They may seem to be very talented orally, but cannot commit thoughts to paper. And when they do, it’s a bit like trying to read Chaucer!

“Whan that the Knyght had thus his tale ytoold, In al the route ne was

ther yong ne oold That he ne seyde it was a noble storie…”

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How do we identify dyslexic students?

• May be artistic but unable to explain ideas in words

• May be able to read, but understand very little of what was just read.

• May find that their eyes do not stay fixed on the line so they repeat what they have just read or skip a line.

• May find reading very

challenging.

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• May spell inconsistently and poorly.

• When spoken to quickly, may lose track of the meaning of what they are hearing.

• May reverse letters – b’s for d’s - and they may do the same with numbers.

• May have illegible handwriting.

How do we identify dyslexic students?

Knowledge Check

1. “Dyslexia is hereditary”

True or False..?

2. “Dyslexia is linked to general ability ”

3. “Dyslexia can be cured”

True.Dyslexia is often found in siblings.

FalseDyslexia cannot be cured but students can learn strategies to lessen its effects.

FalseDyslexic students can be found across the ability range.

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Knowing what dyslexia is, is one thing, knowing how it feels is another

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Let’s begin with the three main processes involved with learning

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For everyone, a lot of the information taken in fades, unless of course, we make a conscious effort to remember it.

Some information – such as our mother’s birthday, the route to work, the time our daily train leaves, we transfer to our long term memory. Most of us have strategies to enable us to do this.

Taking in and storing information

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• Repeat the information over and over.

• Write it down (and hopefully remember where we put it!)

• Divide it into chunks.• Relate the new piece of

information to something we already know.

All in all, we make an effort to put it into our long term memory.

Taking in and storing information

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Auditory perception and discrimination

If we are listening to music and the phone rings, we know it’s the phone and not the front door bell. We can perceive the sound and differentiate it from the front door.

However, a dyslexic pupil may find it difficult to differentiate between similar sounds.

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Limited short term memory

Imagine your short term memory as a shelf.

Most adults can hold seven pieces of information on their short term memory shelf. A dyslexic pupil can hold about three or four pieces of information. The shelf is smaller.

The information may be each digit of a phone number, dates for a History test or an item on a shopping list.

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Speed of information processing

We may need to retrieve information from our long term memory to enable us to understand and make sense of new information. If this cannot be done fast enough, some or all the new information will fall off the shelf.

Many pupils will need time to retrieve and process information.

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Sequencing

If there is a weakness in the working memory, then

sequencing will be difficult – days of the week, times

tables or following flat pack furniture

instructions.

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ReadingReading, spelling and writing

are all sequencing tasks.

decoding a sequence of letters to read

encoding sounds in the right order to spell

putting words in the right order to paragraph.

Of the three skills, reading is slightly easier as the words

remain on the page while the reader tries to sort them out.

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Spelling and writing

Spelling and writing are harder because everything has to come from long term memory.

Having decided on a sentence to write, the words need to stay on the short term shelf while the letter shapes which make the sounds are retrieved from the long term memory.

Tricky.

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Organisational skills

Poor short term memory can result in poor organisational skills.

Knowing where you need to be, when, with what equipment, to see …. who? requires information to be manipulated and can be a real barrier to dyslexic learners feeling comfortable in school.

All this .. before they’re even asked to open a book or put pen to paper.

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General points to consider

• Dyslexia can affect anyone. • Other learning difficulties may be masked by the dyslexia.• A dyslexic learner may appear confident in some situations but quite fragile in others. • No two people are exactly the same and the impact of dyslexia on each individual is different.

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Common behaviours of a dyslexic learner

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1. May appear to be not even trying

But remember…

They may only be able to give a complex answer orally.

The less they write, the less trouble they get into for writing ‘a load of rubbish’.

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2. May appear to be not concentrating

But remember…

They will have enormous difficulty in copying from a board as they cannot remember chunks of information and will need to look closely, letter by letter, copy, write, look up, find place, copy... No wonder they may find any distraction a welcome relief.

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3. Work may appear careless

But remember…

Scruffy handwriting can be an issue with a dyslexic pupil. But not always. If asked to copy and the copy book is very close, the handwriting, although usually very slow, may be beautiful.

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4. Work not checked or proof read

But remember

The pupil may spell the same word several different ways because they don’t have the visual memory to know what it should look like or the kinesthetic memory to know if it feels right when they write it.

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5. “But you could do this yesterday!”But remember…

They may appear as just plain awkward or impossible. On purpose. But dyslexics will have “off days” with erratic performance because they have to concentrate so hard to keep up and on these days they will require more patience, more encouragement and more kindness.

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• They are given the “big picture”• The learning is personal and meaningful • They are asked to remember patterns as

well as sequences• They are asked to remember landmarks

rather than directions• They are able to learn by experience rather

than being told. Listen to this pupil’s ideas

Pupils learn best when…

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But .. “always look on the bright side of life ..”

Dyslexia is a difference in cognition and learning and most dyslexic pupils possess many other positive talents:

• Creativity.• Thinking laterally and making connections.• Problem-solving skills.• Seeing the 'big picture’.• Good visual skills, thinking easily in 3-D.• Good verbal skills.• Good social skills.

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Part 3:Overcoming Barriers

Strategies for dyslexia-friendly learning.

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We will look at…

• Multisensory learning• Assessment for Learning• Chunking• Overlearning• Sequencing• Adapting materials• Adapting the environment

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BUT FIRST…

How to identity learners with dyslexia or dyslexic tendencies

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Identification of Dyslexia

SEN departments rely upon classroom teachers to recognise the indicators of dyslexia. This helps ensure that no student goes undiagnosed and unsupported.

Identification comes through:

• Analysing regular assessment data• Anecdotal concerns from staff• Using Dyslexia Identification pro forma• Emotional/behavioural changes (e.g. an increase in disruptive acts or declining participation in lessons)• An increase in school absence • Difficulties with homework• Slower pace in tackling class tasks• Cross-curricula staff discussions• Talking to and listening to the student.

Identification comes through:

• Analysing regular assessment data• Anecdotal concerns from staff• Using Dyslexia Identification pro forma• Emotional/behavioural changes (e.g. an increase in disruptive acts or declining participation in lessons)• An increase in school absence • Difficulties with homework• Slower pace in tackling class tasks• Cross-curricula staff discussions• Talking to and listening to the student.

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Overcoming the barriers…

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Multisensory learning is…

…making learning tactile, kinaesthetic, visual and auditory.

charts, diagrams, pictures, posters, labels, videos, DVDs

Talking, listening, debating, questioning, audio tapes

pictures, flow charts, card sorts , sticky notes, concept maps

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Multisensory learning…

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Make learning visual

• Use coloured highlighters.• Spidergrams and 'key visuals’.• Pictures, diagrams and charts

in various colours.• Use symbols to support

reading for example labels on resources.

• Prepare visual timetables.• Provide visual support for

short, clear instructions.• Display posters on the wall –

mathematical signs, months of the year.

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Make learning auditory• Use a range of speaking and

listening strategies to support learning.

• Make use of tapes to listen to and record ideas.

• Record sound using a computer. Attach the recordings to files so that pupils can hear instructions or information.

• Have pupils teach others things they have learned, as this embeds understanding and memory.

• Sing information to a rhythm as a whole class group.

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Making learning tactileand kinaesthetic

• Trace over words, letters and numbers.

• Demonstrate number bonds, place value, sequences, etc. through whole-body movements, use of cards, etc.

• Cut up pieces of information, then re-sequence them.

• Use concrete objects to support learning, for example use letters to help with blending/segmenting, use 3-D shapes and number blocks.

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knowledge check

1. Recording information as a spider diagram?

What kind of learning style do the following resources or activities appeal to?

[ tactile & kinaesthetic / visual / auditory ]

2. Pupils teaching each other things they have learned?

3. Cards to sort or connect ?

visual

auditory

tactile

Remember that appealing to multiple senses will help students to embed knowledge and experiences.

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Assessment for Learning

…a way of ensuring that students are in the driving seat of their own progress by:

- sharing learning objectives.- sharing the standards aimed for.- involving pupils in self- and peer- assessment.- providing constructive feedback.- allowing reflection on assessment information.

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Sharing learning objectives…

• Activate prior knowledge by reviewing previous learning at the beginning of the lesson

• Establish the purpose: state the outcome and strategy for the lesson – what, why and how

• Ensure that homework is understood and noted at the start of the lesson by all pupils

• Summarise and ensure that pupils have understood key points at the end of the lesson

• Provide alternative strategies and media to promote reading for a range of purposes

Students with dyslexia tend to learn best when small pieces of information are placed within the larger context. To give the big picture teachers should:

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knowledge check

1. Assessment feedback is disheartening for dyslexics and should be avoided

True or False..?

2. Sharing outcomes will encourage engagement

3. It’s best to focus on the small picture of learning

False.Constructive feedback is really useful.

FalseSmall chunks of information are more likely to be embedded in memory when linked to the big picture.

TrueDyslexic students work better when the ‘mystery’ of learning is removed.

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Chunking,Overlearningand Sequencing

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The barriers to learning that confront dyslexic students can make engagement with learning difficult.

Chunking… Keeps students switched on.

Helps the retention of knowledge.

(presenting material in

short l

ogical st

eps)

Makes lesson objectives achievable.

Makes multi-step tasks seem manageable.

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Overlearning improves the capacity of dyslexic learners to retain skills and knowledge.

Overlearning…

Revisiting learning in different contexts.

Recording information in difficult ways.

(turning initial m

astery into automaticity)

Practicing and applying learning.

Overlearning using multisensory strategies.

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Sequencing…“Six-point picture hats” to help plan writing.

Writing Scaffolds to record ideas and structure ideas

(making expectations m

anageable)

Practicing and applying learning.

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knowledge check

1. Revisiting ideas in different contexts

Which strategy is which..?

[ chunking / overlearning / sequencing ]

2. Making the steps of learning and tasks logical

3. Breaking down activities into smaller tasks

overlearning

sequencing

chunking

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Adapting the materials

Adapting the environment

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Adapting the materials…

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Adapting the Environment…

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knowledge check

1. Removing the literacy content from schemes of work will help dyslexics make progress

True or False..?

2. Specialist vocabulary should be supplied in advance

3. Providing teacher’s notes to students is unhelpful

False.Making literacy content manageable rather than removing it will be of most benefit.

FalseIt will mean students are not overburdened with note taking.

TrueThis extra preparation step will encourage confidence and participation

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• Make instructions concise, backed visually.

• Consider alternative ways of recording info.

• Make the learning objective explicit.• Make the learning environment multi-

sensory.• Give support for the different aspects

of writing.• Avoid unnecessary writing.• Select accessible texts, including visual

cues where possible.

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These training materials focus upon what classroom teachers can do to improve inclusion practices for dyslexic students.

Advice for subject leaders, SENCo’s, and Senior Leadership Teams can be found in the original Inclusion Develop Programme package, accessible on disc or via the website.

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Reference Materials

• Inclusion Development Programme:http://89.151.115.131/ps/index.html

• Dyslexia Observation pro forma:http://89.151.115.131/ps/assets/library/sen_idp_ps_identpupsec_sec.doc